This morning I found a 40% off coupon code that reduces the cost of a Microsoft Technet subscription from $ 349 to $ 209. This is a pretty good deal for those of us who perpetually are in need of an evaluation license to re-load the latest Microsoft OS or Office version to whatever hardware we are testing.

The license this provides is for a non-expiring evaluation version of most Microsoft Operating Systems as well as Office 2007.

With my prior Microsoft  Action Pack subscription, when I dropped the subscription the licenses continued to work (although they were no longer legal to use). I do not know if that still applies (or continues to apply to Technet). So - YMMV on whether you have to continue to pay in order to use the software. I am assuming your renewal is the regular renewal of $249 as listed on the site.

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Previously I would have obtained most of this software through the Microsoft Action Pack, however they’ve changed the terms of that program so you have to pass a test. Keep reading for the coupon code, link and complete list of what Microsoft Technet gets you.

For $ 209 you receive a one year membership and the ability to download full non-expiring evaluation versions of almost all Microsoft O/S as well as Office 2007 and Dynamics Accounting.

Here’s a list of what is included:

  • Access to all TechNet Plus resources via the members-only TechNet Plus benefits portal for an individual user. Does not include DVD shipments.
  • Full-version evaluation software without time limits
  • Beta software releases
  • Technical Information Library
  • Professional Support Incidents
  • Managed newsgroups
  • Online concierge Chat
  • Technical training resources and Microsoft E-Learning Courses

 Servers & Operating Systems:

  • Windows Server 2008
  • Windows Server 2003 R2
  • Compute Cluster
  • Windows SharePoint Services
  • SQL Server
  • Application Platform Servers BizTalk Server, Commerce Server, Host Integration Server, Connected Services Framework, Customer Care Framework
  • Business Productivity Servers Content Management Server, Exchange Server, Office Live Communications Server, Office Forms Server, Office Groove Server, Office PerformancePoint Server, Speech Server, Sharepoint Server, Windows Sharepoint Services
  • IT Operations Servers Identity Integration Server, Microsoft System Center, Microsoft Operations Manager, Microsoft System Center Capacity Planner, Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager, Systems Management Server, ISA Server
  • Windows Vista Ultimate/Enterprise/Business
  • Windows XP Professional/Tablet PC Edition

2007 Microsoft Office:

  • Office Ultimate/Enterprise/Professional Plus/Professional 2007 [2]
  • Office Word, Office Excel, Office PowerPoint, Office Outlook & Business Contact Manager, Office Access
  • Office Publisher, Office InfoPath, Office OneNote, Office Communicator, Office Groove, Office SharePoint Designer, Office Visio, Office Project Standard
  • Office Accounting, Office Business Scorecard Manager, MapPoint, Office FrontPage
  • Office Project Professional
  • Office Project Server, Office Project Portfolio Server 

Microsoft Dynamics Accounting Software

  • Dynamics AX, GP, NAV, SL, Microsoft Forecaster & Microsoft FRx
  • Dynamics CRM, Point of Sale, Microsoft Small Business Accounting & Financials

There appear to be two ways to receive your subscription:

1. Download
2. DVD Shipped

When I had Microsoft Action Pack, I got SOOO many DVD shipments that I canceled the membership primarily because my office was crawling with unopened boxes of disks and Microsoft marketing materials.

I’m hoping that this download version will solve the problem of Microsoft shipment overload.

Link to details:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/bb892756.aspx

Coupon Code: TMSAML06

Via: http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/813451/